Aging Veterans and a Silver Lining of Service

TL;DR

This study explores how military service and related health issues affect aging in Vietnam-era veterans, finding that many find pride and resilience beneficial in their later years.

Contribution

The novel contribution is presenting veterans' experiences through a hybrid narrative combining poetry and prose, highlighting their resilience.

Findings

Most veterans found a silver lining of service that aids post-military life.

68% of veterans reported military-related health issues.

50% of the cohort served in conflicts, primarily in Vietnam.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore aging veteran’s military experiences, including serving in conflicts or wars and their military-related health issues, with a focus on the impacts of their experiences on the aging process. A cohort of 48 Pacific Northwest, primarily rural, Vietnam-era veterans responded to a survey questionnaire emailed in 2021. The main survey question addressed in this article is, “Do you believe that your military experience has made aging more difficult?” Fifty percent of this cohort served in a conflict or war, mostly in Vietnam, and 68% reported having military-related health issues. We used veterans’ survey responses to create this article which is a hybrid narrative—a mix of poetry and prose. Regardless of serving in conflicts or wars and their military-related health issues, most veterans found a silver lining of service that acts as a source of pride and resilience that is beneficial to post-military life as they age.